Carton



July 21, 1942. t J. J. SULLIVAN 2,290,504

' I CARTON Filed Dec. 2, 1939 56 :2 r a0 a] A l? Patented July 21, 1942 in which- UNiTE'D STATE-S PATENT OFFICE g t r 2,290,504 I 7 CARTON Application December 2, 1939, Serial No. 307,301

particularly to a carton having a novel pouring spout. I am aware that it is not new to form a pouring spout from an integral part of a carton blank which spout can be moved from a closed position within the carton to an open and pouring position, but a review of the numerous patents granted on this subject matter indicates that such blanlm are of unusual and :special construction requiring special machinery. The primary object of my invention is the construction of a standard carton blank with an improved pouring spout cut from the blank and preferably from within the outline of one end flap thereof.

A further feature of the invention resides in constructing a carton with a pouring spout integral therewith at one wall and movable to and between a closed position in which the entire spout is in one plane at said wall and an open position forming a trough extending transversely and outwardly of said wall and in outwardly flaring communication with the interiorof the carton through the wall. The spout includes an intermediate portion and two side wings having rear portions remaining between two layers of the wall and forming a frictional support therewith for the spout, the spout being adapted to'be cut-to patterns varying in size and shape whereby adapting it to the different materials to be poured.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank from which my novel pouring. carton is formed,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the carton, showing the spout in closed position,

Fig. 3 is-a'like view, partially broken away,

and showing the spout in open position,

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2 but showing one end flap of the carton in open position and another end flap broken away.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified construction,

' movable piece 2| being superposed over the in- 2Claims. (-01.229-17) I This invention relates to cartons and more edge wall sections l2, a gluing flap l4, corresponding end flaps l5 and [6 at one end, and end flaps I I, I8 and I9 at the other end. The blank is of standard construction except that the end flap I8 is cut to provide my novel pouring spout and the end fiap I9 is perforated at 20 to provide a removable piece 2|.

The pouring spout is formed by cutting out a portion of the flap [8 preferably wholly within itsfoutline. The flap is cut along a line 22 beginning at 23 and ending at 24 and providing a cut out spout-forming-portion having two symmetrical halves. This portion is scored at 25 to provide an intermediate portion 26 integral with the carton at 21 and having two wings 2B integral therewith at the scored lines 25.

The blank is folded to carton form and glued together at H in the usual manner as is performed on standard box making machinery.

The end .fiaps I"! are folded inwardly, the flap I8 is then folded onto the flaps l1, and the flap I9 is in turn folded onto,the flap i8, the retermediate portion of the spout. The several flaps can be glued together on the. areas indicated in the drawing, glue being omitted from the areas facing the spout-forming portion.

when it is desired to use the contents of the package, the piece-2| is torn from the package and the'spout is drawn outwardly byengaging its nose at 30. When thus drawn outwardly the intermediate portion -2liv forms an extension of one side wall N) of the box and the adjacent portions 28' of the wings 28 move to a position forming trough-like side walls cooperating with the intermediate portion 26. The free ends 32 of the wings form wing extensions which remain sandwiched betwen the outer flap I9 and a flap tnerebeneath, and thereby frictionally supporting the spout in open and closed positions.

'rne spout can be cut to provide a relatively narrow exit coming substantially to a point 30 as illustrated in Fig. 3 or to provide a relatively wide exit as illustrated in Fig. 6, the latter being facilitated by slitting the wings at 34 to permit widening out of the wing portions adjacent to the intermediate portion 25. It will be underspout is pushed back to its initial position it forms a complete closure for the carton.

The blank from which the carton of Fig. 6 is formed is illustrated in Fig. 5. This blank construction is similar to that of Fig. 1 but the wings 36 are of less extent and are slitted at 34. It will be noted that the slits 34 are parallel with :the fold lines 38 and the nose 40 is relatively broad instead of coming substantially to a point.

It will be apparent that the cut out pattern forming the spout can be considerably modified and the shape, size and character of the spout thus varied to meet the required uses. For example, the spout shown in Fig. 3 is relatively narrow and terminates substantially at a point 30, whereas the spout shown in Fig. 7 is relatively wide and terminates in a relatively wide nozzle 50. The former is suitable for such free flowing products as pouring salt which are to be poured into a small opening such as a salt shaker, and the latter is suitable for such products as soap flakes which require a large and broad pouring exit. I have discovered that by varying the pattern from that shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 7 the size of the spout can be graduated to varying sizes and to meet varying needs. It will be noted that in Fig. 7 the wings 52 of the pattern extend somewhat downwardly. instead of upwardly as do the wings 28 in Fig. 1. Such change in the pattern allows the wings of the spout to open relatively 'wide whereby forming a relatively broad spout, and such construction, as well as the construction shown in Figs. and 6, can be employed where a relatively large spout is required. It will be particularly noted thatin \all positions of the spout the wings remain between two layers of the carton wall and their'movement is not obstructed by the contents in the package. When the spout is drawn outwardly to the open position of Fig. '7, the wing extensions remain beneath and substantially parallel with said outer flap and merge into the wings along curved planes at the junction of the wings and wing extensions.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,

1. In a carton, a pouring spout having an in termediate portion pivotally attached to, the

carton along the rear edge of said portion, two

' extensions integral with the wings remote from wings integral along scored lines with opposite sides of the intermediate portion, and two wing said scored lines and projecting outwardly therefrom respectively in continuous and unbroken planes common with the wings, the spout being pivotally movable to and mtween a closed position in which the entire spout is in a single plane parallel with and adjacent to a wall of the carton and an open position in which the wings cooperate with the intermediate portion to form a trough extending transversely. and outwardly of the wall and in communication with the interior and exterior of the carton through the wall and in which open position the wing extensions remain sandwiched in frictional engagement with and between two wall layers of the carton beneath said wall.

2. In a carton having 'side walls and end flaps, ap'ouring spout formed from an integral portion of an end flap and located beneath an outer flap superposed thereover, the spout comprising an intermediate portion integrally and pivotally attached to the carton along the rear edge of said portion and two wings integral along scored lines with opposite sides of the intermediate portion and having two wing extensions integral with the wings remote from said lines and projecting outwardly therefrom respectively in continuous and unbroken. planes common with the wings, the spout being pivotally movable to and between'a closed position in which the entire spout is in a single plane parallel with and adjacent to said outer flap and an open position in which the wings cooperate at'said scored lines with the intermediate portion to form a trough I extending transversely and outwardly of the outer flap and in communication with the interior and exterior of the carton through the outer flap in which open position the wing extensions remain beneath and substantially parallel-with said outer flap and merge into the wings along curved planes at the portions of the spout connecting the wings and wing extensions.

- JOHN J. SULLIVAN. 

